Conductor in composite

Abstract

A conductor in composite is disclosed. In various embodiments, an electrically conductive structure, such as an electrically conductive metal, is sandwiched between insulating material and two or more layers of fiber reinforced composite material, to form a stack that is used to form a composite structure that includes the electrically conductive layer. The layer may comprise an electrical line, trace, bus, etc. to conduct electricity from one location to another within the composite structure, such as to connect a battery or other power source at one location to an electrical load at another location.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A composite structure coupled to an aircraft fuselage, comprising: a wing structure including:
 an airfoil having a leading edge extending from a base to a distal end; 
 a plurality of booms, each boom extending from the airfoil in a direction transverse to the leading edge and extending to a distal portion configured to support a lift fan; 
 a plurality of conductors provided in the wing structure and extending from the base to each of the plurality of the booms, wherein the plurality of conductors connect a centrally-located battery to the lift fans to provide electrical power to the lift fans; and a plurality of laminated layers forming the wing structure and including: 
 a first insulating layer adjacent to and in contact with a first side of each conductor of the plurality of conductors; 
 a second insulating layer adjacent to and in contact with a second side of each conductor of the plurality of conductors; and 
 two or more exterior layers of fiber reinforced composite material that sandwich each conductor of the plurality of conductors and the first and second insulating layers therebetween; 
 wherein a first subset of the plurality of booms are attached to the airfoil at a non-zero angle relative to a substantially vertical axis of the aircraft fuselage such that each boom of the first subset is tilted inboard towards the fuselage; and 
 wherein a second subset of the plurality of booms are attached to the airfoil at a non-zero angle relative to the substantially vertical axis of the aircraft fuselage such that each boom of the second subset is tilted outboard away from the fuselage. 
 
     
     
       2. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors comprises aluminum. 
     
     
       3. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of conductors comprises a conductive structure stamped or otherwise formed from an aluminum sheet material. 
     
     
       4. The composite structure of  claim 3 , wherein the aluminum sheet material comprises 0.020 inch thick aluminum sheet material. 
     
     
       5. The composite structure of  claim 3 , wherein the conductive structure is between 0.002 inches thick and 0.050 inches thick. 
     
     
       6. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors comprises a relatively flat or flattened metal having a width an order of magnitude or more greater than its thickness. 
     
     
       7. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors are positioned within the composite structure at a location near an outer surface of the composite structure. 
     
     
       8. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second insulating layers comprise two or more layers of fiberglass. 
     
     
       9. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second insulating layers are bonded to the plurality of conductors in a first region of the composite structure in which the plurality of conductors are located and to one another in a second region of the composite structure in which the plurality of conductors are not present. 
     
     
       10. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductors comprises a first conductor and a second conductor, the second conductor insulated electrically from the first conductor by the first insulating layer. 
     
     
       11. The composite structure of  claim 10 , wherein the first conductor and the second conductor comprise substantially parallel conductive paths. 
     
     
       12. The composite structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first conductor and the second conductor carry current flowing in opposite directions. 
     
     
       13. The composite structure of  claim 10 , wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are arranged side by side in substantially a same layer of the composite structure. 
     
     
       14. The composite structure of  claim 10 , wherein the first conductor of the plurality of conductors is located in a first layer of the composite structure and the second conductor of the plurality of conductors is located in a second layer of the composite structure in a location substantially aligned with the first conductor. 
     
     
       15. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors is adapted to carry current of at least 50 amps. 
     
     
       16. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors is adapted to carry steady current. 
     
     
       17. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors wraps around the leading edge of the airfoil to terminate at a tab on an underside of the airfoil. 
     
     
       18. A process to fabricate a composite structure for an aircraft, comprising:
 arranging one or more layers of fiber reinforced composite precursor material in a tool having a shape associated with an airfoil having a leading edge extending from a base to a distal end; 
 forming a first insulating layer by placing one or more layers of electrically insulating material adjacent to at least a portion of a topmost layer of fiber reinforced composite precursor material; 
 positioning a plurality of conductors on the first insulating layer, wherein the plurality of conductors extend from the base of the airfoil to the distal portion of each of the plurality of booms to electrically couple a centrally-located battery to lift fans attached to the distal portion of each of the plurality of booms; 
 forming a second insulating layer on top of the plurality of conductors; 
 adding one or more additional layers of fiber reinforced composite material on top of the second insulating layer; and 
 curing the first and second insulating layers, the topmost layer and the one or more additional layers to form the airfoil; and 
 attaching a plurality of booms to the airfoil, each boom extending transverse to the leading edge to a distal portion configured to support a lift fan, wherein a first subset of the plurality of booms are attached to the airfoil at a non-zero angle relative to a substantially vertical axis of a fuselage of the aircraft such that each boom of the first subset is tilted inboard towards the fuselage, and wherein a second subset of the plurality of booms are attached to the airfoil at a non-zero angle relative to the substantially vertical axis of the aircraft such that each boom of the second subset is tilted outboard away from the fuselage. 
 
     
     
       19. The process of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of conductors are conformed to a shape associated with the tool.